Alabama’s high school students’ standardized tests just changed. Again. Appears money is to blame.

The first change involves the ACT. Instead of requiring 11th graders to take the ACT plus writing in the spring of 2014, only the ACT will be given. No writing. (UPDATE: August 7, 2013: The ACT with writing is back on again.)

[For a complete understanding of how achievement test results will fit into the new accountability measures, read this about the School Performance Index, where the results of these tests will be used.]

Plans to administer EOC tests in the following additional subjects in the spring of 2014 have been canceled:

English 9

English 11

Geometry

Algebra II

Biology

Chemistry

U.S. History

So the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE) has been discontinued for all but incoming 12th graders, and plans have been scrapped for EOCs to replace the AHSGE (other than English and Math) for incoming 9th, 10th, and 11th graders.

Sure, each school will still give tests and grades, but there will be no basis for comparison should one need to compare results from multiple high schools.

In this document (a Frequently Asked Questions on EOC tests), QualityCore assessments’ comparability was touted: “Reports for EOC assessments provide local and state comparisons of students’ performance within each course, as well as an evaluation of students’ progress toward college readiness unique to each course. The QualityCore EOC assessment score reports also include estimated student scores on the PLAN/ACT assessments, which help teachers and students evaluate progress toward college and career readiness.”

Guess that wasn’t as important as we first thought it was.

It is unknown whether the problems Kentucky experienced with Quality Core’s End-of-Course online administration of tests had any impact on this decision. And while I have read no official reporting on administration of EOC testing in Alabama this past spring, I heard anecdotal (and unofficial) reports that the logistics of online testing of high school students proved challenging for some districts. Maybe it really was just the money.

Here’s what the revised test implementation schedule looks like as of July 3.

The Cost of EOC Testing

The ALSDE picked up the cost of all EOC tests last spring. In this document (a Frequently Asked Questions on EOC tests) question #68 questioned the cost to systems. Here’s the answer: “The ALSDE will pay for the QualityCore EOC assessments according to the state assessment schedule. However, systems may purchase additional QualityCore EOC assessments at the state contract price of $17.75 per assessment for multiple-choice/multiple-choice assessments and $21.25 per assessment for multiple-choice/constructed-response assessments.”

ACT’s web site quotes a cost of $19 per student for multiple choice or $23 per student for multiple choice plus constructed response tests.

I’m still trying to figure out the true cost and implications of this change, but wanted to share these changes quickly. I am waiting on responses from the ALSDE about the cost of EOC testing. I will update if the information changes.

All past editions available on Storify at https://storify.com/ALSchoolConnect

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